


you shook me (all night long)

by sopaloma



Series: bughead through the decades [4]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: 70s AU, Discussion of Abortion, F/M, copious drug use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-09 05:55:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11662995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sopaloma/pseuds/sopaloma
Summary: It's 1976 and Betty can't wait for the last day of high school to be over.But the events of that day will affect her final summer before she heads to college and change her relationship with Jughead in ways she never saw coming.A 70s AU.





	1. the last day of school

**Author's Note:**

> title from Led Zeppelin, "You Shook Me"
> 
> this is part one of a new series - probably a three-parter - where bughead get together during different eras. this story is set in the 70s - 1976, to be specific. 
> 
> each fic will be inspired by some of my fave tv shows and movies. this one was inspired by a lot of different things, but mostly 'dazed & confused' and 'that 70s show', so expect stoner!juggie and references to bands from that time!

Betty tried not to glance at the clock too often but she really couldn't wait to leave.

The senior class had attended their graduation ceremony a few days before and now some members of the student body, like her, were tying up loose ends before they finally left the halls of Riverdale High for good.

She was currently addressing the small group of people who had helped work on the newspaper during the last year. Being the head of so many extra-curricular clubs had become a real drag these past few days, as she went from group to group thanking them for their hard work. She had to keep reminding herself that it had all been worth it - it had looked good on her college applications and in a few months she would be going to Columbia.

"So I just wanted to say another big thank you for all the work you did this year. I hope we've encouraged others to continue the school paper in our absence," she says to wrap up, and then gives them a big, toothy smile that Alice Cooper would be proud of. "Now I'm going to stop taking and let you get out of here!"

Most of them rush out of the door as soon as they can, desperate to begin their summer break, but a few stay back to wish Betty a good summer and good luck at college.

"That was a sweet speech, Betts. Almost made me sad to leave the Blue and Gold," Jughead comments, lingering behind.

She gathers up her folders and books and rolls her eyes. "Oh, please. You're just as glad to get out of here as the rest of them. As am I."

"That maybe so," he agrees as they leave the room, "but my days spent in this office were probably the better parts of all my years in this place."

"That's sweet, Juggie."

She smiles as reaches out to touch his arm but she's suddenly knocked off balance by Reggie Mantle, running down the hallway at full force.

"Watch it, man!" Jughead shouts.

Reggie turns and begins to jog backwards as he yells, "Sorry, Cooper! Didn't mean to hit you."

She rubs at her shoulder as she asks, "Where the hell is he running to?"

"It's the last day of school," Jughead answers. "He's probably off to find some freshmen to torture."

Betty had forgotten all about that stupid tradition. She knew that when they had finished middle school the seniors at the time had chased the guys around with baseball bats and tormented them for most of the day - Reggie and Jughead included - but didn't the cycle have to end eventually?

"Why aren't you joining them?" she asks as they continue down the hall.

He scoffs. "I'd like to think that I come off as less of a Neanderthal than Reggie Mantle. Besides, you know I'm a lover not a fighter."

She snorts at that and heads out into the parking lot.

He follows her to her car and leans up against it as she throws her books inside.

"Any news on Chic?" he asks.

She sighs heavily. "No, and it's stressing everyone out. My parents can't sleep, Polly's worried sick in Boston and we've been calling police stations in different counties but there's nothing. No sightings of him."

Jughead eyes soften in sympathy. "War is fucked up, Betts. It's not surprising there were lasting effects when he came back, but I'm sure he'll turn up eventually. He loves you. He wouldn't walk away from his family like that."

She can feel the crease between her brows that always seems to be there when she thinks about her brother.

"I hope you're right." She smiles sadly. "I've got to head home but I'll come by the basement later. Will I see you there?"

He looks at her likes she's stupid. "Where else am I gonna be?"

She laughs and punches him in the shoulder. "Such a smartass, Jones."

He grins, "Love you, too, Cooper," and walks off in the direction of his own car.

 

 

 

There are four things in this world that Jughead Jones truly loves - his car, food, Pink Floyd and Betty Cooper.

It began sometime in eighth grade. When Archie and all of the others guys - Kevin excluded - began noticing girls, the only girl Jughead noticed was Betty, and that had never really changed.

She was the coolest chick he knew.

Beneath the pastel shirts and tight ponytail there was a whole side to her that few people got to know. She could fix up a car better than any guy he'd ever met and she was one of the only people he trusted with the El Camino. She had a stack of Led Zeppelin records stashed behind her headboard - Zeppelin was not approved in the Cooper house - and she went to a little store in Jersey on Sundays to buy new cassettes that she knew they'd both like.

Some of the best afternoons of his life had been spent lying on the floor with her, in his room in the Andrews's house, listening to the new tape she'd bought that weekend.

She was his best friend and yeah, he loved her, but he wasn't stupid enough to ask for more from her.

When he gets home, he starts his afternoon with _The Dark Side of the Moon_ on the record player and a bag of chips in front of him, surrounded by only half of the things he loves. But she eventually arrives, like she said she would, and he thinks three out of four isn't bad. She's the best item on that list anyway.

When she enters the basement, he, Archie and Kevin have already sparked up a joint.

She pouts in the doorway. "You guys started without me?"

"Here," Jughead says, holding it out to her.

She smiles and takes it from him, as she settles down on the floor between him and Kevin, forming the circle. She takes a long toke.

"Where's V?" she asks Archie, wisps of smoke still escaping her mouth.

He shrugs. "Said she had some stuff to do with her mom. She'll be here soon. She's picking you up, right?"

"Yeah, we're getting ready at her house," she responds.

"Can you believe tonight is the last high school party we're ever gonna go to?" Kevin says and he sounds almost wistful.

"College parties will be better," Jughead assures him.

They sit back in the haze of smoke that has now filled the basement, chatting amongst themselves. Jughead's eyes flicker to Betty occasionally, taking in the flush in her cheeks and the glassiness of her eyes. Whenever they smoke Betty's impossibly big eyes become sleepy and soft and she's a far cry from the typically highly strung girl she is at school.

He thinks he likes her best this way.

Jughead's trying to explain to Archie - for the hundredth time - the intricacies of the government's surveillance of them all when Veronica arrives.

"You can't seriously believe that shit, Jug," Archie says with a laugh.

"If you ever picked up a fucking book you wouldn't be saying that, man. You have no idea what they're keeping tabs on," he insists.

"Again with this Orwell shit, Jug? I read that book, too, and it didn't turn me into a conspiracy nut," Veronica says as she drops down into Archie's lap.

"I'm not a conspiracy nut," Jughead mutters, mostly to himself, and Betty rubs a comforting hand across his shoulder.

"I can't stay for long, babe," Veronica tells Archie as he starts kissing her neck. They had invoked a 'no making out in the circle' rule a while back but they often broke it, much to everyone else's disgust. "B and I need to get started on our hair."

"This early? What are you planning on doing to me?" Betty cries in horror and he and Kevin start snickering.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic, B. You'll look gorgeous," Veronica reassures her and takes the mostly burnt-out joint from Archie's fingers.

Betty looks like she's being taken to the electric chair when she and Veronica leave. She meets Jughead's gaze with wide eyes as they head up the stairs. Jughead just laughs and his eyes may trail down to stare at her ass as she goes. She could wear a pair of bell-bottoms like no other chick he knew.

He can hear Archie and Kevin laughing beside him and he casts a glance at them.

"Could you be anymore obvious, man?" Archie asks.

He's not sure - Betty had never noticed how gone he was on her.

 

 

 

Betty is sat at Veronica's vanity as her best friend pulls hot rollers out of her hair. Aerosmith is playing on the stereo - Betty refused to listen to the Captain and Tennille, much to Veronica's dismay - and she's in considerable pain. The rollers are so uncomfortable and Veronica keeps tugging at her scalp.

"I don't know how you do this everyday, V. It fucking hurts," she says, rubbing at the side of her head that is no longer being tortured.

Veronica slaps her hand away. "Don't touch. You'll ruin it."

Betty huffs but tries to relax into the seat.

"What was up with you earlier?" she asks, watching Veronica's reflection in the mirror. "You seemed like you couldn't wait to get out of the basement."

"I just wanted to be sure that we had enough time to set your hair and do our make up. Perfection takes hours, B."

Normally, Betty would roll her eyes at a statement like that but she knows Veronica is deflecting.

"Veronica," she says pointedly and their eyes meet in the mirror. "What's going on?"

Veronica sighs and starts pulling pins from the final roller in her hair.

"I think I'm pregnant," she says, face expressionless but there's a shake in her voice.

"What?" Betty yells and spins in the chair to look at her, the roller hitting her cheek.

Veronica frowns as she attempts to remove it again and avoids making eye contact.

"How did this happen? I thought you were on the pill."

"I stopped taking it," she mumbles. "I read in Cosmo that it could make you fat."

Betty can't believe she'd be so stupid.

"And what do you thinks going to happen in the next nine months? Pregnant women usually gain weight, V."

"Yes, I can see the irony," Veronica snaps and Betty immediately feels bad for giving her a hard time. "I know it was really dumb," she says in a softer tone, "but it's happened and now I need to deal with it."

"Are you gonna keep it?" Betty asks quietly.

Veronica sits down on her bed looking more upset than Betty has ever seen her.

"I can't, Betty. Archie and I are going to separate colleges and even if we weren't, I don't want a kid right now."

"You could always give it up for adoption," Betty suggests, gently.

"I'm not doing that. I'm not 'going away to have a baby' like it's shameful and then coming back without my child," she spat, raising her fingers in air-quotes.

"Okay," Betty says and puts a hand on her knee. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. It was just a suggestion."

Veronica lays her hand over Betty's. "Do you hate me?"

"For getting an abortion?" Veronica nods. "Of course I don't hate you. I'll even come with you, if you want."

Veronica nods, catching a tear before it falls across her face. "Yeah, I really would. Thanks, B."

Betty wonders if she'll tell Archie and her stomach knots up when she thinks about being around him tonight when she knows her best friend is currently carrying his baby.

"Your hair looks amazing," Veronica says, now completely composed, as if their discussion hadn't happened.

Betty checks her reflection - she does look pretty good. She can kind of see the appeal of doing this every day.

When she turns back around Veronica is holding a pair of black pants in one hand and some pliers in the other.

"These pants are _super_ tight so I'm gonna need you to help me put them on," she explains and hands her the pliers.

Betty snorts and says, "What are best friends for?"

Kevin pulls up as she's putting a final layer of mascara on, his horn blaring outside Veronica's house. She smoothes out the fabric of her pink peasant blouse and Veronica wraps her arms around her from behind.

"Stop fussing. You look hot, B. Now lets go!"

Her mood has considerably improved and you'd never guess that Veronica had just found out some life-altering news as she jumps into the back of Kevin's car. That clearly worked in her favor if she wanted to keep it a secret.

"Hey, Kev." Betty leans across from the backseat to kiss Kevin's cheek. "Hey, Joaquin," she says to the dark-haired guy sat up front.

Kevin and Joaquin had been sneaking around for months now, and while most of their classmates had their suspicions about Kevin's sexual proclivities, they were careful not to show affection in public.

To outsiders of their little group they were just good friends, but they all knew better. Betty was so excited for Kevin to start SFU in the fall and finally have a chance to be himself out in the open, in a new city.

"Ladies, you look amazing!" Kevin compliments them as he pulls away. "Jug and Archie are already at Pop's. They took Jug's car."

Veronica rolls her eyes. "He's so attached to that thing."

"It's like the only thing he truly owns," Betty points out.

Veronica frowns. "Okay, now I feel like a jerk."

When they get to Pop's the parking lot is filled with cars. There are people sat on hoods, chatting and laughing, and a few say 'hi' as they pass them on their way inside. The place itself is also full of teenagers - Betty thinks the entire Riverdale senior class might be here - and thankfully, Archie and Jughead had managed to grab a booth by the window.

"Hey," she says slipping in next to Jughead. "This place is crazy! I've never seen so many people in here before."

Jughead shrugs. "I guess everyone has the same plan for tonight - eat a burger and then get wasted by the river."

"Speaking of," Archie pipes up and pulls a silver flask out of his pocket, "who wants to get the party started early and make their milkshakes a little more interesting?"

Veronica squeals in excitement and kisses his cheek, leaving a lipstick print on his skin. "You're so smart, babe."

Jughead snorts at that and almost chokes on his bite of burger. Betty nudges him with her elbow but she's also trying to smother a laugh. Archie was a lot of things but 'so smart' wasn't one of them.

They order milkshakes and food for the table and Jughead orders his second burger of the night.

"Did Reggie and the guys find any of the freshman?" Betty asks Archie. He hadn't gotten involved like the rest of the football team but he'd definitely know what happened.

"Yeah," he says with a grimace. "They got this one kid pretty bad so his mom pulled a shotgun on them."

"Jesus," Jughead says and barks out a laugh. "Serves them right. It's a dumb tradition."

"So dumb," Joaquin agrees. "We don't even do that shit on the Southside and you guys think we're all burnouts and wasters."

"Hey, Juggie, why didn't you go to Southside High?" Betty says, tone teasing. "You're the biggest burnout I know."

He smiles wryly. "A label I wear with pride, Cooper."

Their milkshakes arrive and Jughead manages to drop some of his drink on his shirt, splashing the 'The Who' logo emblazoned across it. Betty grabs a napkin and quickly wipes it up, as he smirks down at her.

"What am I gonna do without you, Betts? How will I ever survive college?"

"By becoming an adult."

He laughs and she can feel the rest of the table looking at them.

"What?" she asks, meeting Veronica's sly smile.

"You act like such a married couple sometimes," she says, resting her chin in her hand. "It's cute."

"Whatever," Betty says and tosses the napkin at Jughead, but Veronica's comment has thrown her off. She and Jughead were just friends - the best of friends. There wasn't anything else between them.

Jughead playfully wraps his arm around her shoulder, resting it along the back of the booth. "Cheer up, Cooper. I'm a catch! You could do worse than marry a guy like me."

And that's all it takes to break the tension she's feeling. One little joke from Jughead and everything was right again.

Still, Betty notes, his arm doesn't move from it's position until they leave the diner.

 

 

 

They were one of the last groups to leave Pop's, so the area is busy when they pull into the clearing by Sweetwater River.

Jughead rolls a joint in his car and turns the stereo up. Kevin and the girls are already there with Kevin's guy, sat around with some of their classmates, red cups in hand. His gaze lingers on Betty.

"Are you ever gonna tell her how you feel?"

Jughead looks at Archie like he's grown a second head.

"Why the fuck would I do that?" He licks the rolling paper and rolls it between his fingers. "We're gonna be in the same city, we'll probably still hang out all the time. I don't want to make that awkward."

"I think she might like you, too," Archie argues. "She got all embarrassed at the diner when Veronica said you looked like you were married."

"A momentary lapse," Jughead says dismissively, and lights the end of the joint.

"Come on," Archie groans. "You've had a crush on her since middle school and you two have always been close in a way that the rest of us haven't. You have to say something."

"I really don't." He passes the joint to Archie and climbs out of the car. "And if you keep bringing it up I won't let you smoke the rest of my stash tonight."

"Fine," Archie grumbles and passes the joint back to him. "Man, did you see how tight Ronnie's pants are? I don't know how she even got into them. Her ass looks incredible though."

Jughead shakes his head in amusement. "Don't really make a habit of checking out your girlfriend, but I'll take your word for it."

Not that he'd ever be interested in Veronica when Betty was beside her, shoulders bare in her pretty, pink top and her hair flicked out like she was fucking Farrah Fawcett.

He'd never understood why girls did that with their hair before - Betty usually wore hers straight or in a ponytail - but now he got it. It was fucking hot.

Archie heads over to the keg and Jughead drops down beside Betty. He taps her shoulder and she grins when he hands the joint over to her.

Dilton, who is sat next to Betty, takes a drag, too, and smiles as he exhales. His glasses fog up slightly, much to Jughead's amusement.

"You've always had the best stuff, Jug. Mantle's passing something around but it tastes like shit."

"Yeah, don't smoke that. It's probably actual grass," he says but he's only half-joking. Reggie's the type of guy who would pay a high price and assume he's getting the best stuff without really knowing what he's buying.

"You know, you're proving my earlier point, Jug." Betty smiles broadly, her eyes lighting up. "You're like a connoisseur of weed."

He smiles back. "That might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Cooper."

She rolls her eyes but she's still smiling. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it."

He's having a pretty good time with his friends and he's glad that this is the way he's spending his last night as a student at Riverdale High. He'd always preferred being in the basement with the gang instead of going to the football team's crazy parties but this was fun - hanging out, smoking, talking to people and reminiscing about their time at school. Maybe it's the excitement of leaving high school that's put everyone in such a good mood. Or maybe it's the beer and the weed.

Unfortunately, it doesn't last for long.

There's a commotion behind him and he turns to see Chuck yelling at Dilton, almost nose to nose. There's a freshman kid stood behind Dilton, eyes wide in fear - Ethel's little brother, he thinks - and Jughead doesn't like the look of it at all.

A crowd forms around them and Jughead pushes to the front with Betty and Veronica. Spit is flying from Chuck's mouth as he shouts but Dilton isn't backing down.

"He's just a kid!" he yells back. "Do you think picking on him makes you look tough?"

"Get the fuck out of my way," Chuck hisses.

Chuck attempts to move Dilton to the side to reach Ethel's brother but before anyone can make sense of what is happening, Dilton's fist connects with Chuck's face and sends him falling to the ground.

Archie is giggling like a little girl when he jumps onto Jughead's back.

"Dude, did you see that? Dilton just laid him out!"

Jughead's mouth ticks up. "No shit."

There's a chorus of 'Doiley! Doiley!' from their classmates as Dilton is hoisted onto someone's shoulders. The rest of the football team aren't retaliating like he thought they would. They look as dumbfounded as everyone else.

"Shit's about to get crazy," Jughead says next to Betty's ear. "Shall we grab the guys and get out of here?"

She nods and they weave back through the crowd, pulling Archie and Veronica with them. Kevin declines their offer - he and Joaquin are going back to Joaquin's trailer for the night - but Veronica and Archie are more than happy. If their body language is any indication, they want to screw and this isn't exactly the best spot.

They end up outside the Riverdale High football field. The parking lot is empty - probably the only place in town that's not full of drunk seniors - because who would want to return to school when they'd finally been granted their freedom.

Veronica and Archie jump out of the bed of his car before he's even turned off the engine.

"We won't be seeing them for a while," he comments, as he and Betty watch them run off to the bleachers - for old times' sake, no doubt. "Want to get into the back? I have some blankets back there and another joint for us to smoke."

"Sure," she smiles and hops out.

He puts in one of the Eric Clapton cassettes Betty bought a few weeks ago and rolls the windows down so the music can drift outside.

Jughead puts a blanket out and they both lie back, side by side, looking up at the stars. He lights up the joint and they smoke in silence for a few minutes.

"Will you miss it?" she asks, face still turned up to the sky.

"Riverdale?" She nods. "Not really. There are some things I'll miss but not the place itself."

"What things will you miss then?"

He stubs the half-smoked joint out on the inside of the car bed and places it beside him as he contemplates his answer.

"The basement, Pop's, Fred, you guys," he lists, his fingers linked together over his stomach, "listening to cassettes on a Sunday with you."

She smiles softly and turns to him. "We can still do that - we'll be in the same city, we'll still see each other."

"Yeah, but it won't be as often," he argues. "You'll make friends at Columbia and I'll meet people at NYU. We'll have new friends; new people to listen to cassettes with."

She slips her hand into this and turns back to the sky. "No way, Jug. I only do that with you."

"Aw, shucks, Betts. I feel so special."

She laughs and swats at him. "Shut up, moron."

He's laughing too and he turns to her, surprised to find her looking at him.

"Hey," he says quietly, just for something to say.

"Hey," she says back and her eyes are soft, from the weed and maybe from their closeness.

He knows this would be the moment to make a move but he doesn't have to because Betty leans forward and kisses him.

It's just a peck and she pulls back as quickly as it started. "Is this okay?" she whispers.

"More than," he whispers as he cups her face in his hand and pulls her close again, capturing her lips with his.

 

 

 

She's not sure why she kissed him.

She'd shaken off the weird feeling at Pop's as soon as she'd hopped back into Kevin's car, but for the rest of the night she caught herself acting differently towards Jughead.

When they would talk she would find herself flirting with him, under the guise of their usual teasing of one another, and when he put the joint to his lips she'd find herself staring as he blew the smoke out.

She'd never been interested in Jughead like that before. It had never occurred to her that she _could_ be interested in him like that - he was her friend, totally platonic.

But all night she's caught him looking at her in ways that you definitely don't look at your friend, and she was surprised to discover that it didn't make her uncomfortable. She _liked_ it.

Objectively she knows Jughead is hot - she's heard the other cheerleaders discussing how foxy he is over the years - but it wasn't until she noticed him looking at her that she realized just how gorgeous he was. And then that was all she could think about on the drive to the football field, her thigh pressed up against his on the bench seat in his car.

His suggestion to get into the bed of his car had been the last straw. It felt almost romantic, the two of them lay next to each other, looking up at the night's sky. Any girl would have gotten swept up in that - she thinks kissing him was probably a natural reaction.

And fuck, he's a really good kisser.

She presses herself closer to him, fingers clutching at his shirt, and traces her tongue across his bottom lip. He accepts her tongue immediately, his mouth hot and delicious against hers.

It's slow and thorough, like the best kinds of kisses, and she chases after his lips when he pulls away to kiss along her jaw and down her neck. His beanie falls off at some point and she reaches up to tangle her fingers in his hair.

"I can't believe we're doing this," she says, and her voice is breathy and high. She's never sounded like that before.

"Me neither," he groans against her throat and grazes his teeth across her skin.

She pushes at his shoulders gently and she almost wants to look at the panicked look on his face, as if he's done something wrong. She continues pushing until he's on his back and then she straddles him, her knees on either side of his legs and her body pressed against his, closer than they've ever been.

She leans forward to cup his face in his hands and can't help but smile at the almost dopey grin on his face. He's probably as thrown off by what's occurring as she is but she decides to just go with it, and connects their lips again.

She begins to rock against him, small unconscious movements that are all at once too much and not enough. His hands slide down her back and over her ass, cupping it as he encourages her movements, his hips pressing up into hers.

She pauses to look at him. "Do you want to... fool around a little?" she asks tentatively, eyes flickering between his.

"Uh... yeah, sure," he replies, just as nervous as she is. His pupils are blown out and his breath is fanning across her skin in little pants. "What do you want to do?"

"We could touch each other?" she suggests, uncertain, but still surprised by her own boldness. She'd never been this honest about what she wanted with guys in the past.

He swallows thickly. "Okay. Um... can you take your pants off?"

She lies back on the blanket and pops open the button on her jeans. They're high waisted and hard to get off in the limited space, and she starts giggling as she tries to shimmy them over her hips and down her legs.

He's smiling at her in amusement when she finally gets them off, propped up on his forearm beside her, and he reaches out to stroke the side of her face.

"Okay?" he asks and she nods.

He kisses her again, his hand making a path from her hip, over her stomach, and beneath her shirt. He moans when his hand comes into contact with the soft skin of her breast.

"No bra?" he asks, voice rough.

"Veronica told me visible bra straps aren't a good look," she explains and he smirks.

"Well thank God for Veronica."

He's kissing her again, his mouth more insistent as he feels the skin he's never had access to before. She lets out a breathy moan when he tweaks her nipple so he does it again, clearly pleased with her reaction.

His hand leaves her breast to settle over her panties and she gasps when his fingers rub her favorite spot over the fabric.

"Good?"

She bites her lip and nods.

His rubs gently before he slips his fingers underneath, finding her hot and wet.

"Fuck, Betty," he breathes, eyes closing into hazy slits as he slides through the wetness and then inside.

It's good, too good, and she's kind of mad at herself for not noticing him before. They could have been doing this for years.

He makes her come quickly on his fingers and she kisses him roughly to hide the noise she makes.

When she comes down her face feels flushed and she just lies there for a minute as she attempts to regulate her breathing. Jughead kisses her the whole time - on her cheek, her jaw, her temple.

"Holy shit, Jug."

She starts laughing again and she doesn't know if it's the orgasm or the weed that's making her so giddy. Probably a little of both.

He's laughing, too, wiping his fingers on his shirt before he strokes her hair back from her face. His eyes go soft and there's a little smile on his face before he says, "You're so beautiful, Betts."

She rolls her eyes. "Shut up."

She's feeling embarrassed and emotional at his compliment, and goes to punch his shoulder like she always does, but he catches her fist in his hand.

His expression turns serious. "Seriously."

"Thank you," she says quietly. She licks her lips. "Do you want me to help you?" She nods towards the obvious bulge in his jeans.

He looks surprised for a second as if he hadn't expected her to return the favor.

"Really?"

"Yeah. C'mere."

They kiss again, her hand around his neck to bring his face close to hers. One of his legs is settled between hers and she shifts against it to feel how hard she's made him.

She opens his fly with slightly shaking hands and pulls his length out of his boxers. She strokes firmly, adjusting the pressure to see what he likes, and increases her speed when he starts panting against her ear.

"Shit," he groans. "I'm not gonna last long. I almost came just watching you get off."

She smiles at that and kisses him as she works him faster. She can see the strain in his neck as he tries to hold back but it all becomes too much for him.

His head drops to her shoulder and he moans, "God, baby," quietly against her ear. The endearment makes her stomach feel fluttery - he's never called her that before, but she wants to hear him say it again.

He moans loudly when he's close. "Betts, shit, I'm gonna come. Where should I..."

He looks like he's about to pull away to finish himself off but she pulls him back to her by the hand still wrapped around his neck.

"Do it here," she says, voice low, pointing at the exposed skin of her stomach between her shirt and panties.

That's more than he can handle and he comes quickly, shooting across her stomach, her name leaving his lips in a loud moan.

"Oh my god," he mumbles as he drops back against the blanket, an arm thrown across his eyes. "You're amazing."

She laughs softly and pulls his arm away.

"Could you get me something?" she asks, motioning her finger around the mess on her stomach.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." He grabs another blanket from above their heads and quickly wipes it away.

They stretch out across the blanket again and it's quiet for a few minutes before she starts giggling uncontrollably. He joins in and soon they're both curled up against each other, laughing like idiots.

"Holy fuck," he says as his laughter dies down. "Did we really just do that?"

She snorts. "Yep."

He turns to her, his eyes searching hers. "It was good, though. Right?"

She grins. "It was better than good, Juggie."

They lie together for a little while longer before she sighs and sits up, reaching for her jeans.

"I should probably get dressed. V and Archie will be back soon."

He sits up, too, running his hand through his hair before he grabs his beanie and the remnants of the joint beside him. "Yeah, you're right."

They climb back into the cab of the car and smoke again while they're waiting for their friends. It's quiet in the car, Eric Clapton and the noises of the night the only things she can hear. She catches his eye occasionally and they both struggle to smother the giddy smiles on their faces.

Veronica is suspicious as soon as she and Archie come back. She comes around to Betty's side and leans into the open window. Betty notes the rumpled hair and her red and swollen lips. She briefly wonders if she looks the same.

"There's a weird vibe," she observes, eyes narrowed.

Betty rolls her eyes, trying to seem nonchalant. "No, there isn't. How much have you drank?" Her brow furrows as she looks down at Veronica's outfit, not a thing out of place. "Did you put the pliers in your purse?"

"Of course," she says as if Betty's dumb. "How else was I going to get these back on?"

"You could have worn looser pants," Betty points out.

Veronica snorts. "B, _please_. That wasn't going to happen. Have you seen my ass tonight?"

Betty laughs as Jughead reaches out his window and taps the roof of his car.

"Lets go!" he shouts. "Hop in the back, lovebirds. And no screwing in my car," he warns.

Betty raises an eyebrow at him. "Hypocritical, don't you think?"

He shrugs. "It's my car. I can do whatever I want in it. _They_ can't."

She shakes her head in amusement as he peels away from the Riverdale High parking lot.

 

 

 

He drops Archie and Veronica off first at her place. He swears they can't keep their hands off each other for a second. He has no idea how they're going to cope when they're four hours apart.

But Jughead gets it now. He had only spent an hour in the back of his car messing around with Betty and he had to physically restrain himself from reaching across to touch her on the way to Veronica's house.

Now they're alone and he places a hand on her knee as he drives them both home. She smiles at the gesture and places her hand over his.

The drive is far too short and Jughead doesn't want to let her go but she's already an hour past her 1am curfew. He pulls up and parks, closer to the Cooper house than the Andrews'.

They both climb out and meet on the sidewalk next to the El Camino.

"Tonight was fun," she says, taking his hand in hers again. "Really fun," she adds with a laugh.

"Yeah, it was," he agrees and places his hand against her cheek as he gives her a quick kiss. At least, he means for it to be quick.

Her eyes open slowly as they part and there's a little smile ticking up the corner of her mouth.

"Night, Jug," she says and turns to head up the path to her house.

"Night, Betts," he replies as he walks backwards to the Andrews' house, his eyes on her retreating form.

Jughead begins to wonder how this night will change his summer.

 

 

 

Betty's cheeks are hurting from how much she's smiling and her lips are tingling from their goodnight kiss.

She opens the door to her house as quietly as she can, hoping to sneak in without her parents noticing, but she's shocked to find that they're still awake and sat in her living room.

"Betty, where have you been?" her mother asks.

She's about to come up with some lame excuse when she takes in her mother's swollen eyes and the somber look on her dad's face.

"What's going on?" she asks, now worried.

"It's your brother," her dad answers. "They found him in Maryland. He's coming home tomorrow. He's not in good shape."

 


	2. the summer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for the response on the last chapter! i'm really having fun with this story
> 
> this is a long one! pretty smutty and deals with some sensitive subject matter i.e. abortion. i tried to be as accurate as i could while keeping in mind that the teens of the 70s probably weren't as well informed as people are today.
> 
> i also listened to "shine on you crazy diamond" by pink floyd almost the entire time i was writing. not required listening, but it's got a real 70s vibe to get you in the mood. it's also the song playing during b & j's discussion of his 'ideal fantasy'.

Jughead had woken up feeling more content than he had in years.

And then the panic had set in.

His mind was racing with so many thoughts, all centered around Betty. _Would she be weird with him now? Did she think last night was a mistake? Would she stop being his friend?_

He's anxious all morning and struggles to eat his breakfast, a rarity for Jughead. This Betty thing was really bugging him. He thinks about calling her but he doesn't want to risk her mom answering - talking to Alice Cooper was not going to make his anxiety any better.

He showers, smokes, dresses for the day and decides to wait and see if she comes to the basement. If she doesn't, he'll call her tomorrow.

It's around noon when Betty does arrive, eyes welling up with tears as soon as she steps through the door. His stomach clenches and his panic increases twofold.

"Shit, Betty. I'm so sorry abou-"

She cuts him off before he can start grovelling and begging her to still be his friend.

"They found Chic."

His eyes almost bug out of his head - he hadn't expected that.

"They did? That's great! Why are you so upset?"

She bursts into a fresh wave of tears as she runs over to him, dropping herself into his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. He catches her around the waist and his hand immediately comes up to stroke her hair as she cries against his neck.

"Baby, what happened?" he asks softly.

She pulls back to look at him and her cheeks are wet and blotchy. He wipes some of her tears away with his thumb as he waits for her to talk.

"He's not the same, Jug. I know that going to war messed with his head but he's not the same person anymore," she says, her voice shaky. "I think he's on drugs."

"Drugs?" Jughead repeats, brow furrowed.

Chic Cooper was the most straight edge guy he knew. Athletic and popular, he had been captain of the football team during his time at Riverdale High, but he'd never gotten drunk at parties or smoked behind the bleachers like the rest of the team.

Chic was one of the good guys, a true upstanding citizen.

"Why do you think that?" he asks her.

"When they brought him home this morning he seemed really out of it, not really there. And he's got.. marks on his arms."

 _Shit_. That wasn't good.

"Do you know where he's been?"

He had come home from Vietnam when the war had ended seeming like the same old Chic, but Betty had told the gang about his mood swings and the way he would cry out in his sleep. Only those close to him knew that something was different. A while later, he had left in the middle of the night, leaving only a note behind. That had been six months ago.

"He told my parents he hitchhiked for a few months and ended up in Maryland, at some commune that's still around down there," she explains, less tearful now that he's got her talking.

If they weren't having such a serious conversation he'd laugh at that. He just couldn't picture clean-cut, blond-haired, blue-eyed Chic joining the hippies.

"Is he with your folks now?"

She nods. "He was taking a nap when I left. I had to get out of there."

"Jesus, Betts," he sighs and places his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her against him again.

She tucks her head into his neck as he resumes stroking her hair. He hopes she finds it soothing.

"This fucking sucks. I'm sorry," he murmurs against her temple and then presses a kiss there.

She pulls back to look at him and he thinks he might have crossed a line, the action too intimate. Her eyes flicker across his face, searching for something, before she closes the distance between them to kiss him.

He melts into her at first but quickly realizes that this could be a mistake. She's upset - she doesn't want to do something she'll regret and make things even worse.

"Betty," he says against her lips as he tries to pull away.

She frames his face with her hands and strokes his cheekbones.

"I need you to distract me," she says quietly. "I need _you_."

"Okay," he whispers and presses his mouth against hers.

It's risky, making out in the basement when anyone could walk in, but he doesn't give a shit. He'd tell everyone he could that Betty Cooper was letting him kiss her if he had the chance. Betty doesn't seem to care either and he takes that as a good sign.

"Lets get on the couch."

She rises from his lap and settles back against the couch, he hair fanned out against the old, threadbare cushion. She looks too beautiful to be fooling around with him on the basement's shitty sofa but she's grabbing at his shirt to pull him on top of her and he's not about to protest.

He lies between her legs as they kiss. She's wearing a skirt today, the knee-length fabric pushed high up her thighs by his body and he can feel the heat between her legs against his stomach.

They just kiss for a while - deep, thorough kisses that make him hard and desperate for her. She's making soft, little noises and he slides his hand up her shirt to really make her moan.

When she's restless and whining beneath him, he makes her come with his fingers and then she jerks him off again, directing him to come across the inside of her thighs this time. The sight is enough to make him hard again but he holds back.

"Thanks, Juggie," she murmurs as he cleans her up with some napkins he finds beside the phone.

"Thank _you_ ," he says with a little laugh. "I still can't believe I'm allowed to touch you like this."

She blushes and sits up to kiss him again, just a quick peck. She's smiles at him and he's pleased to see that it's a genuine one.

"I mean it, Jug. Thanks for listening to me," she says, brushing her hand through his hair. "I was a real mess for a second there."

"Anytime," he says. "You can always talk to me. You know that."

She smirks gratefully and then tugs at his hair playfully, lightening the mood.

"We could really use this situation to our advantage," she says with a smirk, gesturing between the two of them.

"I've had two orgasms in two days that weren't caused by my own hand. I'm already reaping the benefits," he states.

She snorts. "True, but... I'm still a virgin, and unless there's something you haven't told me, you are too. We could rectify that before we go to college."

"Rectify?" he repeats, his voice higher than usual. "Are you saying..."

"Yeah." Her teeth press against her bottom lip as she smiles shyly. "I think we should be each other's firsts."

He palms feel clammy and he knows his mouth is hanging open.

He closes it quickly and breathes out, "Okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Sweet." She presses a kiss against his cheek and then stands up. "I'm gonna go to Veronica's house but I'll see you here later?"

"Sure."

She heads towards the door to the basement and throws a flirty smile over her shoulder before she leaves.

His breath leaves his body in a loud exhale. He's going to have sex with Betty Cooper. His first time is going to be with _Betty Cooper_.

His summer was definitely looking up.

 

 

 

Her summer is filled with friends, smoking, fooling around and Jughead.

She leaves her house as early as she can most mornings - the sound of her brother's night terrors still ringing in her ears - and heads over to the Andrews house. Someone's always there - usually Jughead - and she finds solace in the basement, like she always has since she was a kid.

Their days are never very exciting. They spend a lot of time in Veronica's pool or going to the movies, or just hanging out. But she likes it that way. They won't be able to do this for much longer.

Jughead goes to work at the bar on the southside sometimes but he's always seeking her out when he's free. They fool around wherever they can be alone - on the basement couch, his bedroom when Fred's not home, his car when they want to get away.

They talk about having sex but neither of them push the issue, just wanting to enjoy making each other feel good for now.

If their friends suspect anything, they don't say, and Betty's glad for it. She can't really put a label on this new development in their relationship and she doesn't want to. But still, she tries to be discreet. 

Sometimes it can be hard though. Like the time they go skinny-dipping and she can feel Jughead's eyes all over her before she dives into the lake. He's only seen - and touched - certain parts of her body; he'd never seen her completely naked.

He must like what he sees because he drags her to his bedroom before she heads home and makes her come with his mouth three times. No ones ever done that to her before but she wants him to do it over and over again.

She likes making him feel good too. She especially likes to tease him, resting her hand on this thigh when they sit up front in his car, kissing him in the kitchen when their friends are just downstairs.

That gets them into trouble one time. Fred walks in on them when she's sat on the countertop and Jughead is between her legs, pushing her into the cabinets as his hand creeps beneath her shirt.

A throat clears behind them and they break apart to find Fred stood in the doorway, an amused smile on his face.

"Not asking any questions," he says, holding his hands up. "Just asking you not to do this in my kitchen, kids."

"Sorry, Fred," they both mumble, faces aflame.

It's a perfect way to spend her time between high school and college. She's surrounded by her favorite people, she's actually going to lose her virginity, and despite the issues he's facing, her brother is home and safe.

But it's not all good times.

Sometimes she has to push all of the fun aside and get serious, be the best friend she can.

"I have an appointment next Tuesday," Veronica tells her as they sit in Veronica's bedroom. She had spent the weekend in the city and she wanted to show Betty the new outfits she bought. Betty suspects she really just wanted to get her alone.

"Okay," Betty says, taking Veronica's hand in hers. "We can make up some excuse. Tell the guys we're going shopping for the day."

She nods, her eyes downcast. "Thanks, B."

"No worries." She links their fingers together. "Have you told Archie?"

"No," she says, and there's an edge to her voice, as if she's about to cry. "I'm not going to. He wouldn't be able to handle it."

Betty wants to argue that this is his responsibility too and he should find a way to handle it, but she can see that Veronica's mind is made up. Archie's never going to know how drastically his life could have changed.

"What are you going to tell him? I think you bleed afterwards. You probably won't feel too great."

"I'll tell him I'm on my period," she replies with a shrug, all false nonchalance. "He stays far away during that time." She rolls her eyes.

"Boys are so stupid," Betty mutters, brow furrowed.

"Speaking of boys..." Veronica nudges her, a sly smile on her face. "What's up with you and Jughead?"

Betty looks away from Veronica's gaze but she knows she's blushing, giving her away.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Veronica scoffs. "I've seen the looks between the two of you. If you not already screwing, you're about to."

Betty's lips quirk up in a little smile. "Fine. We've kind of... been fooling around."

"Oh my god," Veronica almost screeches. "Betty Cooper, you little minx. When did this happen?"

"The party on the last day of school, when we went to the football field."

Veronica gasps. "I knew there was a weird vibe! Archie said I was imagining things but I knew." She grins at Betty. "So is it good? Have you guys had sex?"

"It's really great," she replies, excited to tell someone about what's been happening between her and Jughead. "It's like we're still best friends but there's more now. And we haven't had sex, but we're going to."

Veronica lets out a happy squeal and claps her hands together. "So _cute_. Oh, B, I'm so happy for you." She takes Betty's face in her palms and looks her dead in the eye. "Make sure you use protection."

Betty laughs at her dramatics. "I will."

"Promise me," Veronica says in a softer voice. "I don't want you to end up like me."

She smiles sadly and squeezes Veronica's fingers. "I promise, V."

 

 

 

It's a hot day, their skin sticky from the heat, and they both seek respite in Betty's bedroom. Her parents are both at work, Chic is holed up in his room like he always is these days, the rest of the gang have gone in search of their own ways to get out of the heat and Betty, mercifully, has an electric fan right next to her bed.

"This is heaven," Jughead groans, stretched out across her comforter as cold air whirls across him.

She laughs and turns away from her stereo, the opening track of _Wish You Were Here_ filtering into her room. She throws herself onto the bed, landing on top of him and he grunts at the contact, even as his arm immediately wraps around her waist. She presses one hand against his chest and leans up to kiss him, the other hand sliding into his hair. It's so hot that he hasn't worn his beanie in almost a week.

When she pulls away she stares at him, a strange twinkle in her eye.

"What?" he asks self-consciously.

"What's your biggest fantasy?" she responds, and that is the _last thing_ he expected her to say. "Like, if you could come up with your ideal sexy scenario?"

"Sexy scenario?" he repeats and wiggles his eyebrows, which gets a laugh out of her. "This right here is pretty good," he answers, sliding his hand under the waist of her jean shorts and resting on her ass.

She rolls her eyes. "I'm being serious. What is it?"

" _I'm_ being serious," he fires back. "You're my fantasy, Betts. You kind of always have been."

"Stop" she whines, dragging out the word, but she's laughing. "I'm already making out with you. You don't need to butter me up."

"I'm not," he insists. "You're hot, Betts, and you're one of my best friends. I would have been an idiot not to notice you."

"You really think I'm hot?" she asks with a smirk, but there's color in her cheeks too, betraying the confidence.

"Is my hand down the back of your shorts not enough of an indication?"

She laughs and kisses him again, slipping him some tongue this time.

" _Although_ ," he begins when she breaks the kiss, "if you want to get into specifics, you in you're cheerleading uniform is right next to Maureen McCormick on the list of things I think about in the shower."

She lets out a gasp of mock outrage. "Really, Juggie? Marcia Brady?"

He shrugs. "She seems wholesome. And I have a thing for blondes." He tugs at a lock of her hair to prove his point.

She shakes her head in amusement. "I can't believe the uniform did it for you."

"Why do you think I came to all those games? I don't even like football."

She laughs again and pulls him closer for another kiss. His hand slides further into her shorts, squeezing her ass over the silk of her underwear.

"You know," she mutters, "I got to keep the uniform when I graduated."

Jughead raises one eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

She giggles against his mouth as he rolls them over and traps her beneath him.

 

 

 

On Tuesday afternoon, Betty and Veronica head to the clinic in Betty's car. Veronica is a nervous wreck during the whole journey, gripping Betty's hand tightly in hers.

Veronica's leg bounces up and down impatiently as they wait for the doctor to call her up, her eyes flickering around the room. Betty has to admit that even she feels uncomfortable.

They're surrounded by two visibly pregnant women, one crying teenage girl and a young woman and her husband. It's a mixed crowd and Betty can see Veronica's gaze repeatedly returning to the curve of the pregnant women's stomachs.

"Veronica Lodge," a nurse finally calls out and she's out of her seat before Betty can even blink.

Veronica's hand is back in hers as the doctor explains how the process will work. An earlier test confirmed she was six weeks along so the procedure is non-surgical. That makes Betty feel better. Swallowing a little pill doesn't seem as invasive and scary.

Betty's not allowed in the room while she takes the pill and when Veronica returns to the waiting room she looks composed, her expression entirely neutral. Betty's not sure how she expected her to act or what the emotional protocol was in this situation, so she doesn't question it. If Veronica's upset she hopes she'll tell her - that was part of the reason she was here.

The drive back to Veronica's house is silent and Betty doesn't push her to talk about it. She asked one question when they left the clinic - "Are you feeling okay?" - and after Veronica had assured her that she was, for now, she hadn't said anything more.

When they arrive, Betty wordlessly follows Veronica into her house and up to her bedroom. She sits on her bed as she watches her change into pajamas, and asks, "Are you sure you're okay, V?"

Veronica sighs and sits down next to Betty. " _No_ , not really, but I will be."

She lifts a hand up to slowly rub her back. "Did they say how long the bleeding would last?"

"Up to two weeks," she replies, voice emotionless, as if she's reciting a pamphlet.

Betty nods. "Do you have a heat pack? For the cramps?"

"In my bedside drawer."

Betty takes it out and tells Veronica to wait right where she is while she heats it up for her. When she returns to her bedroom, warm pack in hand, Veronica is curled up beneath her comforter, tear tracks shiny on her cheeks.

"Oh, V," she sighs as sits beside her and strokes her hair.

"I can't believe I was so stupid, Betty," she cries. "I'm not even really sad; I'm just mad at myself."

"It's almost over now," Betty reassures her. "You can put this behind you and make sure you never end up in the same situation again."

She nods into her pillow and takes the pack from her, then loops her hand around Betty's wrist.

"Thanks for coming with me, B. You're the best friend a girl could ask for."

Betty smiles softly. "Don't mention it. You know I'm here if you need me."

She kisses Betty's fingers and then snuggles down into her bed.

"You don't have to stay with me," she assures her. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Now go find your boy," she says with a smirk. "I'm sure he's missed you all afternoon."

She rises from the bed and kisses Veronica's forehead.

"I'll come by tomorrow. Call me if you need anything."

"I will," she promises then gives Betty a light push. "Now go!"

 

 

 

Betty's mind is racing as she drives home.

It's weird - when her teachers had talked about abortions in health class it had seemed like a taboo subject that they didn't want to discuss. And when she'd heard girls taking in the bathrooms at school about some girl who'd been to the clinic that weekend it had seemed like this dramatic, shameful thing, ripe for high school gossip.

The actual process had been almost anticlimactic. There was no sobbing or regret or excessive pain. Veronica - her usually over-the-top best friend - had been almost withdrawn. She wonders if this is how it was for all women or just for Veronica.

She's still feeling out of sorts when she reaches her house. She parks outside but walks across the lawn to the basement door, not really wanting to go into her own home while her parent's were at work.

The basement is surprisingly empty so she climbs up the staircase to the kitchen, in search of the guys. She still finds nothing, but figures someone must be home if the door was unlocked.

She makes her way up the stairs to the first floor and that's when she can hear music - The Beatles. _Must be Jughead._

She knocks and then opens the door to his bedroom, finds him lay across his bed, fingers laced over his stomach. He smiles wide when he sees her, eyes crinkling around the edges, as if he's elated by her just being there.

"I was only gone for one afternoon, Juggie. You can't have missed me that much," she jokes as she lies down next to him, but she can hear the weird edge to her voice.

"Every moment spent away from you is a moment wasted," he declares dramatically as he wraps his arm around her, but he must notice that she's not in a teasing mood. "Hey," he says softly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she sighs. "I've just had a weird day."

He snorts. "Is shopping with Veronica that bad?"

She's confused for a second, forgetting about their cover for the afternoon, but quickly jokes, "You have no idea," before he can get suspicious.

"Well I think I know how to make your afternoon a little better," he says suggestively and rolls on top of her as he begins kissing her neck.

"I think so too," she says, voice already breathy. He always has such an effect on her; she doesn't understand it.

They make out on his bed - deep, messy kisses that are definitely leading to more. She's got her jeans and underwear off and he's shirtless when he rolls onto his back again and begins to tug her along his body.

"What are you doing?" she asks nervously, her thighs now bracketing his chest.

"Trust me," he murmurs and continues pulling her along until she's straddling his face.

It's _really_ dirty and she releases a loud moan as soon as his tongue touches her.

"Oh my god, _Juggie_."

Her fingers sink into his hair as she begins to grind against his mouth, almost riding his face. She briefly panics that she's suffocating him but he encourages her movements with his hands on her hips.

When she comes she shaking and trembling all over, and she feels weightless when she lies beside him again.

"That was incredible."

He props himself up on his elbow and he's wearing that smile again - the soft one that appears whenever they're together and always makes her stomach flutter.

His finger traces around her belly button before reaching the bottom of her shirt. He pulls it and asks, "Can I?"

"Only if you do it, too," she replies, looking pointedly as his jeans.

He climbs off the bed to remove his jeans and she's surprised when he straightens up. He's completely naked before her, all of the skin she's seen in bits and pieces entirely exposed. He's gorgeous - sinewy and strong, and she wants him so bad she can hardly think straight.

"Commando, Juggie?" she asks with a raised brow because she can never turn down a chance to tease him.

He shrugs sheepishly and crawls back onto the bed. He tugs at her shirt again. "Fair's fair, Betts."

She pulls her t-shirt over her head and removes her bra before settling back against his pillows. She reaches out for him but he remains seated on the bed, eyes trailing over her body.

"You are unreal," he tells her, sliding a hand up her calf and over her knee.

He moves over her again before she can get too self-conscious and rests between her parted legs. She can feel him against her center, the heat of him making her feel tingly and nervous.

She wraps her arms around his neck and smiles. "Are we about to have sex?"

His neck flushes. "Uh... I don't... I mean, if that's..." he stutters, "Do you want to do that?"

Her teeth sink into her lip as she nods.

"Let me get a rubber," he says and leans across to open his bedside drawer.

She takes a few deep, calming breaths as he settles against her again and keeps her hands linked behind his neck, anchoring herself to him.

"Okay?" he asks quietly and she nods again, too overwhelmed to speak. "Tell me if it hurts."

It doesn't hurt - not really - it's more uncomfortable, the way Polly and Veronica had told her it would be. It's a strange sensation, feeling her body stretch as he fills her. She's definitely not going to come but she's enjoying the closeness, the intimacy. She's never been this close to another person.

Her hands move across his shoulder blades and he's trembling beneath her, clearly as overwhelmed as she is.

"It's okay, you can move," she tells him as he comes to a stop.

He begins to pump into her, his head dropping into the dip between her shoulder and neck, and she knows he isn't going to last long. She knows the signs now - the quickening of his breathing, the pulsing in his neck - and she presses her lips to his shoulder as she smoothes her hands along his back, encouraging him.

He curses as his orgasm hits, his thrusts faltering as he comes. She places kisses along his neck as he rides it out and he moans softly against her skin.

She winces when he pulls out, a soreness she hadn't noticed during now evident between her legs.

"Are you alright?" he asks, after he's discarded the condom and returns to the bed.

She snuggles up against him, rests her head against his chest and an arm around his waist.

"Kind of sore, but I'll be okay."

He kisses the top of her head and runs his fingers along her spine.

"I know that wasn't great for you. I'm sorry," he apologises, sounding disappointed in himself.

"It's okay," she assures him, leaning back to smile at him. "We'll get better at it. We're not even halfway through the summer. Plenty of time to practice."

"Yeah?" he asks as one corner of his mouths pulls up.

She kisses his chest. "Yep."

He pulls her closer to his body and releases a heavy sigh.

"I don't know what I did to deserve this, Betts, but I'm thanking whatever higher power is out there."

She nuzzles against him. "Me, too, Juggie."

They lay there for the rest of the afternoon, Jughead eventually falling asleep beneath her, but Betty struggles to shut her mind off. There are so many thoughts running through her head, so many feelings about the events that have occurred in this heavy afternoon.

And part of her can't help but wonder if there's some kind of irony in the fact that the same day she accompanied her best friend to get an abortion, she had lost her virginity.

 

 

 

After that afternoon they can't keep their hands off each other. They're always sneaking off together and throwing flirty looks across the room. She also starts dressing differently, swapping out her usual jeans and shorts for floaty dresses that clinch around her waist and leave her shoulders bare. She knows they drive him crazy.

Despite the progression of their relationship, they don't always have sex. Sometimes just touching is good and while sex is beginning to feel good for her, fooling around is still better.

Jughead doesn't mind. As long as he's still getting to touch her, he's happy, and Betty seems to want him as much as he wants her.

There are casual touches now, too, and displays of affection around their friends; Betty sitting on his lap in the basement, his arms around her waist as they wait in line at Six Flags, her fingers massaging his neck as he drives. He loves it, craves it as much as her body, and none of their friends question the change in their relationship. It's as if this was the way it was always meant to be.

He really wants to clarify with Betty what exactly is happening between them. He's too scared to actually do it - he doesn't want her to freak out and break things off - so he just embraces the newfound intimacy.

Sometimes it feels like she's actually his girlfriend and he wants so badly for that to be true.

One night she surprises him in the basement. Archie is at Veronica's and he's watching re-runs of _The Jeffersons_  alone, not really paying attention. He jumps when he hears the exterior door open.

He turns to find her stood before him in her winter coat. "Betts? What are you doing here so late?"

"I've got something to show you," she says, tone flirty and mischievous, and drops her coat from her shoulders.

His mouth goes dry and his hands curl up into fists against his knees. She's wearing her cheerleading uniform and she's the best thing he's ever seen.

She straddles him on the sofa and grinds herself against him, her eyes fluttering innocently at him as her hips moves indecently.

"Fuck, baby," he groans, his hands wrapping around her waist. "What are you trying to do to me?"

Her eyes darken and she brushes her fingers through the hair above his neck.

"I love it when you call me that."

"Baby?" She nods, bottom lip trapped between her teeth, hips still moving in slow circles. _Huh_. "Good to know."

He kisses her and she tastes like cherry soda, sweet and tangy. She moans, burying her face into his neck as his kisses move to her shoulders and his hand travels along her thigh and beneath her skirt.

"Jesus, Betty," he groans as his fingers make contact with the wetness between her legs. She giggles and then sucks softly on his earlobe.

"I'm so wet, Juggie," she whispers in his ear. "I need you to make me come."

He's not sure where this seductress side of her is coming from but he never wants her to stop.

He captures her mouth with his again and turns them to press her into the sofa cushions. He's lost count of how many times they've defiled this couch - they really should get it cleaned.

He rests back on his knees to look at her, his fantasy come to life. He doesn't know how many times he's jerked off thinking about her in this uniform but now that she's in front of him the thing that overwhelms him most is that she did his for _him_. She trusts him and wants to please him, and God, he'd spend the rest of his life making her happy if she'd let him.

He grabs a condom from his wallet and turns off the TV. He doesn't want any distractions, he's solely focused on her.

She gasps when he pushes inside fast and hard, her knees pushed up to her chest. He fucks her hard and fast, unable to hold back, and he's never heard her moan for him like this during sex.

"Jug, shit," she whispers, fingers slipping down to touch herself. "I think I'm gonna come."

"Do it," he commands, his eyes flickering from her hand between her legs to the gorgeous expression on her face. "Come for me, baby."

The sound she makes is close to a whine as she throws her head back and clenches around him. It's too much for him, she feels too good, and he comes with her, gripping her hips tight enough to leave bruises.

"Jesus," he breathes out as he remains on his knees, panting above her.

She runs her fingers along his stomach, beneath his shirt. "I didn't know it could be like that," she says, looking as blown away as he feels.

"Me neither."

He removes the condom with a grimace and pushes forward to kiss her as soon as his hands are free, desperate to be close to her. He can feel himself hardening again, not quite full mast but getting there, and she laughs into their kiss.

"Didn't I just tire you out?"

He smiles down at her. "It's cause you're so damn hot, Betts. I can't get enough of you."

She's laughing as she rolls her eyes, and he thinks this is his favorite part of their changing relationship - the lightness that's always between them. She's still his best friend, his favorite chick, even after they've just screwed each other's brains out.

He wants her forever.

 

 

 

In late July, Betty and Veronica take a trip into the city with Kevin and Joaquin. There's a parade to celebrate gay rights and Kevin had begged them to join them. They had agreed easily - they'd never turn down a chance to go to New York and they wanted to support Kevin.

It's fun, if not a little crazy. There are people everywhere, holding flags and signs and chanting as they walk through the streets. There are men and women with slogans emblazoned across their shirts and men wearing make-up and elaborate wigs.

It's fascinating and Betty's never seen so many passionate people in one place before.

Her and Veronica's linked hands swing between them as they chant with the crowd and point things out to each other, and she's shocked when a drag queen tells them what a beautiful couple they are.

Veronica laughs when Betty's face turns slightly red and she takes Betty's face between her palms before she kisses her soundly on the mouth.

"Happy pride, B!"

She laughs, loud and carefree. "Happy pride, V."

Veronica is smiling wider than she has in weeks and she thinks the mood might be infectious.

It's the last thing she expected to do with her summer, and she can't describe the feeling in her chest as she watches Kevin and Joaquin kiss in the middle of a crowded street in New York City.

 

 

 

There are only a few weeks left of summer and Jughead is anxious that the end of the season may also be the end of him and Betty.

He has no reason to think this - their sex life is better than ever, she takes his hand in hers whenever they walk anywhere, and last week she kissed him in the basement in front of the gang. But the lack of labels is messing with his head and he needs to know if she's his chick or just his best friend.

He decides to come clean the Sunday before the last week of summer. They're lying across her bed, feeling hazy after the joint they just smoked and listening to the new tape Betty had bought that day - a _The Doors_ album she's been searching for, for a while now.

"Do you ever think this is weird?" he asks, tucking his hand beneath his head. His other arm is stretched out beside him, her head resting on his bicep.

She looks up at him, brows pulled together in a frown. "Me and you?"

"Yeah."

"No," she answers firmly. "I'm glad things changed between us. Unless you aren't..." she adds softly.

"No, Betts, I didn't mean it like that," he's quick to reassure her. "No one's happier about the developments than I am, believe me."

"Then why would you ask me that?" She looks really concerned now, sat up on her knees as she stares at him.

He sighs and moves his hand to rub across his jaw, contemplating the best way to tell her what he wants to say.

"Sometimes I just can't believe this is really happening," he admits. "You're my dream girl but I always thought you were meant for someone like Archie, the literal boy next door, and instead you're with me - the burnout who's always in his basement."

"I'm your dream girl?" she asks quietly and he just nods. "Juggie, how long have you wanted to do this?"

"Since the eighth grade."

Her eyes close at that and he thinks he's fucked everything up until she settles onto his chest, her hand coming up to rest over his heart. Maybe she can feel how fast it's beating.

"I'm not meant for someone like Archie," she says after a few minutes of silence. "And I don't want to be when I can have you."

He places his fingers beneath her jaw to tilt her chin up and kisses her softly.

It's not a confirmation but it's enough.

 

 

 

Betty was used to the yelling and crying now but tonight is particularly bad, Chic's voice hoarse from screaming. Her mother had told her to leave him alone when he was in the middle of one of his nightmares but he sounds so anguished and she can't leave him like this.

She tiptoes out of her room and across the hall to his bedroom. He's soaked in sweat in his bed, the sheets pushed down to his feet as he cries out. She places a hand against his shoulder and shakes him, pushing harder when he continues to groan and whimper.

"Chic," she hisses, desperate to snap him out of it. "Chic!" she shouts, and before she can make sense of what is happening, she's being pushed against the wall, her brother's hands wrapped around her neck.

"Chic! Stop!" she screams, trying to pull his fingers from her throat. "Get off me!"

"Betty, what the hell is going?" her mother shouts as her parents burst into the room.

Her father pulls Chic off of her and throws him onto his bed. He's awake now and sobbing into his knees at the realization of what he's just done.

"Betty, go to your room," her dad demands and she flees from the room.

She doesn't get back into bed; she wants to escape this house and the darkness inside of it and she has one place in mind. Or more accurately, one person.

She shoves her feet into her tennis shoes and creeps downstairs and out the door, hoping her parents are distracted enough not to hear it close behind her.

She jogs across the yard between her house and the Andrews home, and retrieves the ladder from the backyard. It takes a few knocks against Jughead's window to wake him but he eventually stirs, squinting as he turns on his bedside lamp and tries to adjust to his surroundings.

"Betty?" He frowns and rushes over to the window, pushing it up and helping her inside. "What's going on?"

"I messed up," she explains and Jughead's hands reach up to cup her face when he sees that she's crying.

"Jesus Christ," he mutters when he notices the bruises that have no doubt formed on her neck. His eyes look darker, even in the dim light. "What the fuck happened?"

"I tried to wake Chic up - he was having a nightmare - and he attacked me." Her chest is heaving now as she tries to stop her sobbing. "It's all my fault. My parents told me not to wake him, but he just sounded so awful."

"God, Betty," he mutters as he places his hand on the back of her head and pulls her against his chest.

She's not crying anymore but feeling him solid and warm beneath her calms her down.

"Do you want to lie down?" he asks, lips pressed against the top of her head.

"Can I stay the night? I don't want to go home."

"Of course."

He leads her over to the bed and waits for her to shuffle over before he slips in beside her. He brings the covers up over them and turns off the light before wrapping his arm around her waist from behind.

"I need to get out of here, Jug," she whispers into the darkness.

"Soon," he promises. "One more week and you'll be in New York."

" _We'll_  be in New York," she corrects him, placing her hand over the one he has splayed across her stomach. "We'll go together, won't we?"

"If that's what you want," he responds and then kisses the back of her neck.

"That's what I want." She presses back against him, snuggling into his warmth. "You're my favorite person, Juggie," she tells him and she means it.

"You've always been my favorite, Betty." He kisses her shoulder this time and draws her closer. "Get some rest, baby."

Despite the drama that had just unfolded, she sleeps better than she has in a while.

 


	3. the first day of college

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a shorter chapter to wrap this up. thank you so much to everyone who commented on this and left kudos. i love you all!
> 
> and for anyone wanting to know what else is on betty's tape - i've put a track list in the end notes

It's barely light outside when Betty wakes up and she decides she needs to head home. She prays that her parents didn't check in on her last night.

She turns over to face Jughead and runs her hand across his jaw. His face is so relaxed in sleep and she wishes she could stay here with him, but she really should go.

"Juggie," she whispers, running her thumb across his bottom lip. "Wake up."

He hums, his eyes fluttering slightly before a slow smile spreads across his face.

"Morning, Betts."

"Morning," she echoes and gives him a quick peck. "I have to get home but I didn't want to just leave."

He pulls her closer by the arm still wrapped around her waist and kisses her forehead.

"Will you be okay going alone?"

She sighs as she replies, "Yeah. I need to face them sooner or later."

They kiss for a few minutes, soft and lazy, both of them still sleepy, before she gets out of his bed. 

"Call me later," he tells her as she's slipping her feet into her shoes. "I'll come get you. We can go for a drive."

"Okay, that sounds nice." She places a hand against the bed and leans forward to kiss him one last time. "Bye, Jug."

"Bye, baby," he mumbles but there's a lazy smirk on his face.

She shakes her head and says, "I never should have told you about that," but she's smiling as she climbs down the ladder and lands on the grass beneath his window.

It's quiet when she slips through the front door, and when she hears nothing but silence she assumes everyone is in bed. She's just about to climb the first step of the staircase when she hears someone call out her name from the living room.

Her head snaps to the right, her hand flying up to her chest. "Jesus, Chic. You scared me."

"Sorry," he says sheepishly and stands from the sofa. "Will you come sit with me? I wanted to talk."

"Okay," she agrees hesitantly and takes a seat in the armchair next to him.

He looks tired and so much older than his twenty-three years. His jaw is covered in a thick, dirty-blond beard and his hair is so long it falls into his eyes. He's so different from the man he was before he flew halfway across the world to fight in a war he didn't completely agree with.

"Shit," he mutters, his eyes focused on her neck. "I'm so fucking sorry, Betts."

"It's okay," she tries to assure him but she's not sure if that's true. "It's not your fault. I shouldn't have woken you up."

His shoulders are hunched and he hangs his head, unable to look at her.

"That's bullshit. You shouldn't be scared of your own brother." He groans and scrubs at his face with his hands. "God, I need some fucking help."

"Hey," she says softly, taking his hand in hers. "We can get you help. Whatever you need."

"I've already tried," he says, clearly frustrated. "Nothing works."

She runs her fingers along the track marks on the inside of his elbow. "Is that why you started this?"

He sighs heavily and nods. "It started when I came home the first time," he explains, raising his head and running his hand across his beard. "At first, I just smoked it. Some of my buddies told me it would help with the nightmares and the panic attacks, and it did... for a while. But then I did another tour and it started getting worse. I started shooting up when I came home again."

_God, how had none of them noticed?_

"Is that why you left?"

"Yeah. It felt wrong doing that shit under mom and dad's roof. So I left and I found the commune - they were all higher than me most days and I didn't feel like such a fucking loser."

She rubs this hand with her thumb. "Are you still doing it?"

"No." His grip on her hand tightens briefly. "When dad brought me home I decided to quit once and for all - went cold turkey. It wasn't pretty," he says with a grimace. "That's why I've been in my room all the time. I didn't want any of you to see me like that."

"Oh, Chic," she sighs and leans across to hug him.

"I'm trying to get better," he mumbles into her hair and then pulls back to look at her. "I'm scared, Betty. Some of the guys... their families sent them to be electroshocked and put them on all these drugs. It's like they're experimenting on them. I can't handle that."

"That won't happen," she says fiercely and holds both of his hands in hers. "Mom and dad would never make you do that."

He nods but it doesn't seem like he really believes what she's saying.

"I told mom and dad I'd wait up for you," he tells her. "I said you just needed time. They didn't seem mad."

She smiles gratefully. "Thank you."

"So... you and Archie, huh?" She gives him a questioning look. "I saw you climbing out of the window. Makes sense. You've always been close."

She shakes her head, heat rising in her cheeks. "Not Archie - we're just friends. But... Jughead."

Chic's eyebrows shoot up. "Really?" He nods slowly, expression smoothing out as he takes in the information. "He's a good kid. Great record collection."

"Yeah," she smiles. "He's the best." She rises from the chair. "I'm gonna go to bed, get some more sleep."

"I should probably do the same," he declares, standing with her.

She leans up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Love you."

His eyes fall shut as he whispers, "Love you, too."

She head upstairs before he does and enters her bedroom. It's untouched from the night before, almost like a crime scene, but when she wraps herself up in her comforter her chest feels lighter than it has in months.

Chic may no longer be the boy she grew up with but he's still her brother, and she wants to know this new man he has become.

 

 

 

A week later, Betty is packing up a box of stuff she wants to take with her the following day. She and Jughead are driving to the city in his car and he's going to drop her off at Columbia's freshman dorms before he goes to his housing in NYU. Her parents had offered to drive her but she insisted on going with Jughead. They're stressed enough as it is without having to leave their youngest child in a big city without them.

A car horn blasts outside as she drops the box next to her bag of clothes and she smiles when she sees the El Camino through the window.

She grabs the cassette on her bedside table, races down the staircase and shouts a quick 'bye' to Chic as she leaves. He actually leaves his bedroom now - usually to watch TV in the living room and eat junk food all day, but at least he's out of bed.

"Hey," she grins when she climbs into the car and leans across the bench seat to give Jughead a quick kiss.

"All packed up?" he asks as he starts the car.

"Yep, I'm all ready to go. You?"

"Finished this morning," he replies. "What's that?" he asks, pointing to the tape in her hand.

"Oh, it's an 8-track I made. I was thinking we could go for a drive to Sweetwater River tonight and I could play it for you."

He smirks - no guessing what they would be getting up to at the river. "Right on."

The drive to Pop's is short and the rest of the guys are already in a booth when they walk in.

"We ordered shakes for you," Archie tells them as they sit down.

"Sweet," Jughead says, stretching his arm along the booth behind Betty. "I'm gonna order three cheeseburgers."

"Three?!" Veronica shouts.

"It's gonna be a while before I come back here," Jughead explains as if that justifies eating three burgers in one sitting. "Gotta get my fix while I can."

"You know they have diners in New York, Jug," Kevin points out.

"Yeah, but those diners aren't Pop's."

"Got anymore lame excuses for being a pig?" Betty asks, amused.

"Bite me, Cooper," Jughead retorts but his eyes are sparkling as he looks down at her.

She rests her hand on his thigh beneath the table, suddenly wanting to leave their lunch plans behind and head to the river right now.

"Did you already say goodbye to Joaquin?" Betty asks Kevin, hoping to distract herself.

"Yes," he sighs. "It was tough but we knew it was coming. We agreed to see each other during the holidays."

He and Joaquin had had a good run but they had both agreed to break up at the end of summer. Joaquin was staying in Riverdale, working for his dad, and neither of them wanted to try long-distance.

"I'm sorry, Kev," she says, rubbing a comforting hand against his arm and he smiles sadly.

Their shakes arrive and they order their food. Archie raises his chocolate milkshake into the center of the table and announces, "A toast - to surviving high school and finally having to become adults!"

"God help us," Jughead mutters as they all clink their drinks together.

It's so good to have everyone together in one of their favorite spots, laughing and chatting and reminiscing about the years they've spent here, but Betty can't push down the tight feeling in her chest. It was the end of an era, and while she'd still see Jughead and Veronica all the time, Archie would be further upstate and Kevin would be on the other side of the country. She's not sure when they'll get to do this again.

She's about ready to cry when they leave. Kevin is catching a flight to San Francisco in the morning so this will be the last time he sees them before winter break.

"My little Cooper," Kevin sighs, pulling her into his arms. "What am I going to do without you?"

"Love you, Kev," she says against his shoulder and pulls back to press a big kiss against his cheek. "Promise you'll write me."

"I will." He hugs Veronica and the guys and then climbs into his car. "You better take good care of our girls," he tells Jughead with a pointed finger.

"Of course, man," he responds as he throws an arm around Betty's shoulder.

They watch him pull out of the parking lot and drive away and Betty lets a couple of tears fall.

"Hey, B," Veronica says, laying a hand on her arm. "We're gonna go as well."

"Already?" Betty cries.

"We're gonna spend the night in the city before Archie drives to Syracuse," she explains, "but don't cry. We'll see each other tomorrow."

Betty knows she's right - she has plans to meet up with Jughead and Veronica after their orientation - but she didn't realize she'd be seeing everyone off today. She had only prepared herself to say goodbye to Kevin.

She wraps Veronica up in a hug and then moves to Archie. He squeezes her so tight she loses her breath a little and she giggles when he lifts her off the ground.

"It's gonna be weird not living next door to you."

She sniffles. "I know. It hasn't been like that since we were three years old."

He kisses her forehead. "Take care of yourself, Betts. And take care of Jug and Ronnie, too."

"I will," she promises and hugs him again.

"Okay, okay." Jughead comes over to them and playfully tugs Archie away from her. "Hands off my girl, Andrews."

She feels herself blush at the label and has to bite her lip to smother her smile.

Jughead and Archie share a long, tight hug and Betty realizes that while she has said goodbye to her best friends, Jughead is saying goodbye to his brother. 

"Love you guys! See you in New York," Veronica yells out the window as they drive away.

Jughead comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist before pressing a kiss against her neck. She leans back against him and covers his hands with her own.

"Wanna go?"

"Yeah."

 

 

 

As they drive to the river, Betty puts in a Zeppelin cassette and he rolls down all the windows to let in the evening summer air. Betty's hair is blowing in the breeze and his eyes are constantly flickering between her and the road. He can't stop looking at her and the way the low sun highlights her profile.

There's no one else around when they pull up and Jughead's thankful. All he wants is to be alone with her.

"Juggie," she says softly and turns to him. "Do you mean what you said earlier? When you called me your girl?"

He tucks some of her hair behind her ear. "Well that depends. Do you want to be my girl?"

She quiet for a few seconds, lip trapped between her teeth, before she replies, "Maybe." She's teasing him and he fucking loves it.

She throws her leg over his lap then and kisses him firmly. He moans, his hands sliding beneath her shirt to spread across her back. Her lips are soft but insistent against his and she tastes like the strawberry milkshake she had at Pop's.

She pauses and pulls back to meet his gaze, her thumbs running across his cheekbones.

"I do, Jug," she tells him earnestly. "I do wanna be your girl."

Her eyes are so soft as she says those words and filled with something he never expected to see directed towards him.

He surges forward to kiss her again and she gasps, her hands sliding around to his neck. He shivers when her fingers play along his hairline, tickling him and making him break out in goosebumps.

She rises up on her knees to raise her skirt and slip out of her underwear. He lays thick kisses across her neck and collarbones as his fingers reach down to touch her. She's so wet already and begging for him to make her come.

When she's crying out and shaking against his hand, he pulls his hand away to get a rubber from his glovebox. He rolls it on, already so hard without her even touching him; the sounds she makes and her beautiful face as she comes apart are enough to get him going.

She lowers herself onto him slowly and sets a steady pace. They're so close like this, the confines of the car restricting their movements and pressing her up against him. She feels amazing, she always does, and he doesn't think he'll ever get enough of her.

She brings their foreheads together, her sweet breath fanning across his face as she moves above him. His hands are all over her, feeling every inch of the soft skin beneath her shirt.

It's almost dark outside when they reach their peak together, her fingers hitting that sweet spot and his hands clenching hard around her hips. She slumps against him as she comes down, breath ragged and fingers still curled around the fabric of his shirt.

They trade soft, lingering kisses as the light from the setting sun dies out behind them.

 

 

 

It's getting late but neither of them wants to leave. Jughead lays a blanket down in the bed of his car and she puts her 8-track into the stereo.

They stretch out across the blanket - just like that first night - and Jughead sparks up a joint. He takes a long toke before passing it to her.

 _Fooled Around and Fell In Love_ begins to play and Jughead chuckles at her song selection, wisps of smoking escaping his mouth.

" _This_ is what you put on your tape?"

She smiles wryly and snuggles closer to him.

"It's a romantic tape," she tells him. "And I had to raid my parent's collection so there may be some Bee Gees on there."

His eyes go wide in horror. "Betty, no."

She laughs loudly and stretches up to kiss him quickly, before settling back on his chest again.

"This is it, Juggie. Our last night in Riverdale before we become college students is almost over."

"It's a pretty good way to go out," he says, his fingers running up and down her arm. "Weed, romantic mixes, a pretty girl under my arm. I've been in worse scenarios."

She giggles and catches his hand to link their fingers together.

He finishes the joint as she relaxes against him, feeling the rise and fall of his chest beneath her head. The music plays softly in the background, only slightly louder than the sounds of the night around them and Betty thinks this is the perfect way to say goodbye to her little hometown.

 

 

 

He stands outside the Cooper house early the next morning, wanting to give them plenty of time to get to the city and settle in before their respective orientations.

He had said goodbye to Fred before he left, a surprisingly emotional farewell, unlike the one he had shared with his dad a few days before - an awkward phone call to the New Jersey State Prison.

Betty is tearful as she hugs her parents and her brother, promising to come back for Thanksgiving. He places Betty's stuff into the back of his car with his own belongings and leans against his open door as he waits for her to finish her goodbyes.

She's wiping at her eyes as she pulls away from her mother's embrace and walks over to him.

"Ready, Betts?" he asks, placing his hand against her arm.

She smiles through her tears. "Ready."

He gives the Coopers a quick wave before he climbs into the car. Betty waves out the window as he pulls away and continues to do so until they turn the corner and she can no longer see her family.

He glances over at her as they pull onto the highway and he's relieved to note that she doesn't look too upset. "You okay?" he asks, just to make sure.

"I'm okay." She opens the glovebox and pulls out a cassette. "We need some music for the drive," she declares and puts it in the stereo.

They make it out of the state and into New York in good time, conversation flowing throughout the journey.

"Are you nervous about college?" she asks him.

"Kind of, but I'm excited too. A new city, a new school - it's gonna be fun." He briefly takes his eyes off the road to look at her. "Are _you_ nervous?"

"A little," she admits. "But like you said, it's all so new. And I worked my ass off to get into this school so I'm going to enjoy it."

"That you did," he says with a chuckle. "I was worried for a while. Thought your head might explode from trying to manage all of those extra-curriculars."

"Shut up," she laughs and punches him in the shoulder, just like old times, but also not. There's an affectionate - maybe even loving - look in her eye now that wasn't there before.

He's sees Betty sit up straighter as the New York skyline comes into view and he reaches across to take her hand in his. She smiles over at him, bright-eyed and giddy, and _goddamn_ \- she was a sight for sore eyes.

She links her fingers through his and he lifts their joined hands to press a kiss against her knuckles as they reach the George Washington bridge. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> betty cooper's romantic summertime mix:
> 
> 1\. fooled around and fell in love - elvin bishop  
> 2\. to love somebody - bee gees  
> 3\. be my baby - the ronettes  
> 4\. you're so good to me - the beach boys  
> 5\. soul love - david bowie  
> 6\. love in vain - the rolling stones  
> 7\. the rain song - led zeppelin  
> 8\. here, there and everywhere - the beatles

**Author's Note:**

> if juggie was a stoner he would totally know his shit. don't fight me on this. 
> 
> also, go watch 'dazed & confused'!


End file.
